WINK News had the opportunity of live blogging from inside the courtroom where Robert Dunn, 48, is on trial for first-degree murder, child abuse and burglary in the bloody 2008 killing of his wife, Christine, 36, in the Cape Coral day care center where she worked. She died in front of the couple’s 2-year-old daughter, Allyson.

Trials can offer be a hindrance and a fear to a potential defendant, but a reliable asset to an experienced criminal defense attorney. During opening statements, each side begins the trial by outlining the proof that they will present to the jury during the course of the trial. Opening statements are not to be considered evidence, only the expectations of what each side hopes to prove throughout the trial. However, a skillful defense attorney will be able to capture the evidence they intend to show the jury in a way in which the jury will interpret properly from the beginning of the proceedings.

The State begins the trial by presenting their case first. When a witness is called to testify in a trial, the side that called the witness first asks questions in direct examination. The opposing side then has their opportunity to ask questions in a cross-examination of the witness. Any physical evidence: documents, weapons or photographs, for example, are admitted or denied and numbered for identification to be presented in the trial.

In criminal trials like this, expert witnesses can become involved. An expert witness, professional witness or judicial expert is a witness, who by feature of education, training, skill, or experience, is believed to have proficiency and specialized knowledge in a particular subject beyond that of the average person, such that others may officially and legally rely upon the witness’s specialized (technical, scientific, or other) opinion about any evidence or fact issue within the scope of his specialized knowledge, referred to as the expert opinion, as an assistance to the fact finder. Expert witnesses may also deliver expert evidence about facts from the domain of their expertise.

Many times, a defense attorney may be able to call into question the credibility of the expert witness by showing an error in a previous statement, inconsistency, or other problem that might show that expert’s testimony as unreliable.

During the trial, if an attorney finds objection to a question that is being asked to a witness, they present their objection to the judge. Questions that are objected to are of legal technicality, and may be argued outside of trial. The judge will then let the jury know of any pertinent information needed to make their decision, or instruct them to disregard anything that is not relevant to the trial. The judge’s ruling to either sustain or overrule an objection is decided by applying the law that either permits or prohibits the question from being asked or answered during a trial.

When each side has presented all their evidence pertaining to the trial, they “rest” their case.
When one has been charged with committing a crime like this, one has only one choice that one should feel they have to make. One should obtain an experienced Jacksonville felony-violent crimes defense attorney who has the trial experience and knowledge to properly defend one’s innocence.

The Forbess Law Firm has been aiding clients who face criminal charges in Jacksonville for years and are here to provide aggressive criminal defense to anyone accused of a crime. If you or a loved one require a Jacksonville criminal defense lawyer, contact our firm today. We are available through our website or by calling us at 904-634-0900.